Illinois State to FBS in the MAC conference?

[MplsBison]

Lets get the rumor mill cranked up.

ISU leaves the MVFC to join the MAC west and balance out the league at 7 in the east and 7 in the west (balances out Temple), as well as giving Northern Illinois an in-state rival.

ISU has also stated that a long-term goal is to move to FBS anyway, this fulfills that goal and without forcing the bball/oly teams to leave the MVC.


The reason this rumor is valid? Ball State will be visiting Illinois State in a recently announced home/home contract. FBS schools almost never visit FCS schools, as a rule of thumb.


This drop the MVFC to 8 which then opens the door for South Dakota and North Dakota to join the MVFC, moving them back to 10:

NDSU - UND
SDSU - USD
UNI - WIU
SIU - MSU
ISU - YSU

[crunifan]

Why would ISU want to downgrade by moving to the MAC for basketball?

[UNI Pike]

Why would ISU want to downgrade by moving to the MAC for basketball?

And football?

Crazy pills....

[MSUBear42]

If the MVFC adds UND and USD, I REALLY hope we follow ISU and go FBS.

[TheBisonator]

This thread needs to be closed RIGHT NOW.

[Sader87]

The MAC is really a glorified FCS league...an argument could be made that the CAA is stronger top to bottom.

[ValleyChamp]

ISU is a basketball school, and is not going to leave a great basketball conference like the MVC, and join a basketball abyss like the MAC.

[UNIFanSince1983]

The MAC is really a glorified FCS league...an argument could be made that the CAA is stronger top to bottom.

Well considering Temple is probably gonna be in the championship, and Villanova beat them. And a few years ago Central Michigan won the conference, and lost to NDSU this is very very true.

[Redbird Ray]

I don't think we will be going to the MAC unless it's a football only deal. But you never know, I've heard all sorts of crazy predictions on this topic. Some people think we should go to the MAC for all sports and try to dominate the conference in bball, sort of become a big fish in a relatively small pond. Those people are in the minority, most people want a football only invite. If Temple re-ups their deal, ISU is in a good spot to jump in.

I don't know, I hope the whole Ball State thing is a good sign for us moving to FBS, but I'm not holding my breath either.

xcoffeex

[SDSUJacks]

If it's an all-sports deal, I would advise against it. The MVC is a great basketball conference, and ISU has an excellent team. Going to the MAC for basketball would likely hurt unless you did dominate(which I'm sure you could, judging by their teams). If it's a football only deal, and that's what the school wants, then by all means do if that's whats best. You would be missed, though.

[TheBisonator]

I can't believe you people are eating his bait. :(

[JSUBison]

I can't believe you people are eating his bait. :(

He will not stop until the NCC is reformed.

[salukidean]

I believe your stadium has to seat 30,000 people in order to go D1. ISU's is well short of this number...it would require either extensive expansion or a new stadium before this could happen.....and I just don't see that taking place anytime soon. (Thank goodness SIU pushed through the new stadium before the state's economic state went downhill)

[TheBisonator]

I believe your stadium has to seat 30,000 people in order to go D1. ISU's is well short of this number...it would require either extensive expansion or a new stadium before this could happen.....and I just don't see that taking place anytime soon. (Thank goodness SIU pushed through the new stadium before the state's economic state went downhill)

There are two things wrong with your statement:

1) We are all already in DI.

2) Your stadium does not need to seat 30,000 to be in the FBS. There's just a poorly-enforced rule that you have to average 15,000 per game.

[Sader87]

The MAC rarely has crowds over 20,000.....Delaware, Montana, App St et. al. all have better followings, crowds than the vast majority of MAC schools.

[TheBisonator]

The MAC rarely has crowds over 20,000.....Delaware, Montana, App St et. al. all have better followings, crowds than the vast majority of MAC schools.

NDSU this year would be in the top half of MAC attendances, and we're having one of our worst years ever.

[Redbird Ray]

We also would not go FBS until our stadium expansion is finished. We have an expansion plan that will put us between 25 and 30K. I'm hoping this will be completed within the next 4-5 years, but again, I'm not banking on it.

[EKU05]

I believe your stadium has to seat 30,000 people in order to go D1. ISU's is well short of this number...it would require either extensive expansion or a new stadium before this could happen.....and I just don't see that taking place anytime soon. (Thank goodness SIU pushed through the new stadium before the state's economic state went downhill)

The is definitely not a rule, there are multiple FBS stadiums with capacities well under that. Ohio, Western Kentucky, Idaho...just to name three that come to mind very quickly.

FYI, it was a rule at one time, but was dropped some years ago in favor of the aformentioned 15K attendance "rule."

[Thundar]

Lets get the rumor mill cranked up.

ISU leaves the MVFC to join the MAC west and balance out the league at 7 in the east and 7 in the west (balances out Temple), as well as giving Northern Illinois an in-state rival.

ISU has also stated that a long-term goal is to move to FBS anyway, this fulfills that goal and without forcing the bball/oly teams to leave the MVC.


The reason this rumor is valid? Ball State will be visiting Illinois State in a recently announced home/home contract. FBS schools almost never visit FCS schools, as a rule of thumb.


This drop the MVFC to 8 which then opens the door for South Dakota and North Dakota to join the MVFC, moving them back to 10:

NDSU - UND
SDSU - USD
UNI - WIU
SIU - MSU
ISU - YSU



xblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahxxdeadhorsex

[MplsBison]

Are you guys really that lacking of reading comprehension? How could you possibly miss the part, where I made it crystal clear that they would NOT be leaving the MVC in bball?


**** "ISU has also stated that a long-term goal is to move to FBS anyway, this fulfills that goal and without forcing the bball/oly teams to leave the MVC."****

It would be a football-only deal in the MAC, same as Temple.

ISU would stay in the MVC for bball.

[MplsBison]

I believe your stadium has to seat 30,000 people in order to go D1. ISU's is well short of this number...it would require either extensive expansion or a new stadium before this could happen.....and I just don't see that taking place anytime soon. (Thank goodness SIU pushed through the new stadium before the state's economic state went downhill)

Nope.

You need to average 15,000 tickets sold per game over a rolling 2-year average.


Only catch is that you can't give away tickets and count them. Only tickets with a certain fraction of the most expensive ticket sold count.

[darell1976]

Nope.

You need to average 15,000 tickets sold per game over a rolling 2-year average.


Only catch is that you can't give away tickets and count them. Only tickets with a certain fraction of the most expensive ticket sold count.

Some MAC teams currently don't meet that and should be moved out of the FBS. NDSU does great in their attendance.

[darell1976]

He will not stop until the NCC is reformed.

I would love to see that happen but we all would be in a single conference with Northern Colorado leaving the Big Sky. Not gonna happen.

[MplsBison]

Some MAC teams currently don't meet that and should be moved out of the FBS. NDSU does great in their attendance.

Which MAC teams are those?

[MplsBison]

I would love to see that happen but we all would be in a single conference with Northern Colorado leaving the Big Sky. Not gonna happen.

I would be happy with the Dakota 4 being together in the same conference, as they ought to be.


Some of these old-timers get so worked up...I meant spitting, frothing mad over the thought of this. I for one, just don't see what there is to be so angry about.


UND should be NDSU's greatest ally in DI and we should be helping them get into the MVFC any way we can. This is a great opportunity to forge another partnership, like we have with SDSU.

[wr70beh]

Which MAC teams are those?

Eastern Michigan. They have pathetic attendance. They are basically a commuter school.

Here's a USA Today article (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-08-16-attendance-woes_x.htm) from about 3 years ago stating that 6 MAC schools fell below the 15K 2 year average attendance. EMU averages less than a lot of FCS schools do.

[leatherneck177]

If the MVFC adds UND and USD, I REALLY hope we follow ISU and go FBS.

You need fans to fill that stadium!

[leatherneck177]

This thread needs to be closed RIGHT NOW.

AGREED!

[MplsBison]

Eastern Michigan. They have pathetic attendance. They are basically a commuter school.

Here's a USA Today article (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-08-16-attendance-woes_x.htm) from about 3 years ago stating that 6 MAC schools fell below the 15K 2 year average attendance. EMU averages less than a lot of FCS schools do.

As I already clearly stated, attendance doesn't matter.

As long as they sell 15k tickets, it doesn't matter if 3 people show up to watch.

[darell1976]

You need fans to fill that stadium!

We would either get a whole new stadium (Alerus only holds at max around 13,000) or move back to Memorial Stadium and get some major upgrades. (It did hold 10,000+) but now its just a practice field with stands on one side of the field.